The present invention relates to the field of intelligent mobile phones and more particularly to an arrangement for providing a selectable expansion adapter on an electronic device such as an intelligent mobile phone.
Message communication has become more rapid and frequent in this e-generation. Further, electronic devices, and particularly portable electronic devices have been widely used in various trades and in our daily life as an indispensable means. Moreover, nowadays more features are added by manufacturers to portable electronic devices such as intelligent mobile phones. For example, there is available intelligent mobile phones equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) and a card storage means, a Motion Picture Coding Expert Group Audio Layer-3 (MP3), or a camera. Typically, a high-capacity memory for storing data is provided in such an electronic device. Such expanded memory is typically in the form of an expansion adapter. A security digital (SD) adapter is one of the most popular expansion adapters.
Conventionally, a unique SD recess is required to be provided on the electronic device for receiving the SD adapter. Typically, there are two techniques for installing the SD adapter. One is to weld the SD adapter on a circuit board of the electronic device. This technique is disadvantageous because it results in a bulky electronic device. This, in turn, increases the weight of portable electronic device since the SD adapter is secured to the electronic device and the SD recess. Such lack of adaptability really bothers users. The other technique is effected by providing an accessory in which an SD recess is provided, the accessory being releasably installed on an electronic device so as to establish an electrical connection between input/output (I/O) ports of the SD recess and that of the electronic device to which the accessory is connected. In use, the user simply inserts SD adapter in the SD recess on the accessory prior to inserting the accessory in the electronic device. This is disadvantageous because accessory with the inserted SD recess is a detachable device, resulting in inconvenience to use. Even worse, the accessory and electronic device are subject to damage due to frequent insertion and disassembly. Thus, it is desirable to provide a novel arrangement on an electronic device in order to overcome the above drawbacks of the prior art.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement for providing a selectable expansion adapter on an electronic device that includes a recess on the back of the electronic device having an opening; a circuit board in the electronic device having a plurality of terminals projected from the opening; and a battery shaped to be capable of insertion into the recess. The battery includes a slot on one side for receiving a detachable expansion adapter having a plurality of terminals on one side and a connector extended from inside the slot to project from the surface of the battery. During use, the expansion adapter is inserted into the slot with the terminals of the expansion adapter coupled to the connector, and the battery together with the expansion adapter are inserted into the recess with the connector electrically coupled to the terminals of the circuit board, thereby transmitting signals between the expansion adapter and the electronic device and storing data in the expansion adapter. The advantageous benefits of the invention are as follows. There is no sacrifice of precious space in the device with the additional memory of adapter added into. Hence, a slim electronic device is achievable. Further, there is no modification to the current construction of the device. Furthermore, the device may interchangeably use both a conventional battery and the battery of the invention. Thus it enables user selection of the device.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.